Label Type
Cultural/Historical ContextLabel
Barbara Rossi was a member of the Chicago Imagists and continues to be an active member of the Chicago art scene. Her works combine the figurative and the abstract with twisting, folding imagery . Like many of the Chicago Imagists, Rossi’s work is often cartoonish and surreal yet highly complex; although, her work has always been more disjointed and ambiguous than her fellow imagists. Each work comes about without a compositional plan allowing for each form to be created one at a time, building that enigmatic style. Her work is highly influenced by non-Western, especially Indian, art and other Chicago Imagists. The surreal, anatomical nature of Rossi’s work comes out fully in Eye Deal as forms seem to fold in and out of each other, collapsing into a somehow semi-recognizable jumble of globular parts. It is work that entices the viewer and begs to be examined further to discern some known shape within. Eye Deal is soft and precise with its muted black, white, and minimal blue lines that catch the eye and form a mesmerizing marbled pattern over the entire work. This work was made just prior to an identical plexiglass and acrylic painting done by Rossi in which color changes the tone of the piece drastically. However, the unique nature of this printed Eye Deal allows for a less bombastic, subtler example of Rossi’s style and Chicago Imagist work at large. Rossi showcases her skill at creating depth filled, mesmerizing imagery without the use of excessive color or overwhelming style. Rossi loves work that can hold one’s attention, and she accomplishes just that with every element of this piece from the marbled background with a streak of blue to the impossible depth to the enigmatic yet familiar figures, it captivates and confounds.